New Orleans attacker acted alone and ‘no definitive link’ to Las Vegas Tesla explosion, FBI says
The man who drove a pick-up truck into people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans is believed to have acted alone, according to the FBI – as new information was revealed about the two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recovered near the scene.
There is also “no definitive link” between the attack and the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas, said FBI deputy assistant director Christopher Raia.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s rented truck rammed into people in New Orleans’ famous Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring dozens, in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
New Orleans attack – follow latest
Newly released CCTV image shows Shamsud-Din Jabbar an hour before he drove a truck down Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Pic: AP/FBI
Mr Raia called the attack “premeditated” and an “evil” act of terrorism, and said Jabbar was “100% inspired by ISIS”, also known as Islamic State.
He also said the FBI was reviewing two laptops and three phones linked to Jabbar, as well as two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recovered near the scene of the attack.
Image shows an ice box used to hold an IED. Pic: FBI via AP
The two “functional” devices contained nails and were made of galvanized pipe with end caps, and taped inside two coolers, according to Sky News’ US partner NBC News, citing the FBI and two senior US law enforcement officials. Both devices had receivers for remote firing, they said.
It was not immediately clear if Jabbar tried to detonate the devices, or if they malfunctioned, the officials said.
And during a search of Jabbar’s home in Houston, investigators found remnants of bomb making.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
New Orleans attacker was lone wolf – FBI
Five videos posted in hours before attack
The 42-year-old army veteran, who was born in the US and lived in Texas, was shot dead after he crashed and opened fire on police.
The FBI said he posted five videos on his Facebook account between 1.29am and 3.02am – with the attack taking place around 3.15am.
In one, he said he planned to harm family and friends but was concerned headlines would not focus on the “war between the believers and disbelievers”.
He also joined Islamic State “before this summer” and provided a will, Mr Raia told reporters.
A black ISIS flag was attached to the back of the white Ford truck used in the attack and was pictured lying next to the vehicle.
An ISIS flag at the location where the truck crashed
Read more:
‘Quiet and smart’ veteran – what we know about suspect
Teenage girl and Princeton grad among first victims named
Authorities said Jabbar drove around police barricades on to the footpath, with witnesses describing carnage as the truck sped down the street, knocking people over.
“You just heard this squeal and the rev of the engine and this huge loud impact and then the people screaming,” said one witness, Kimberly Strickland from Alabama.
Barriers protecting pedestrians had been removed for repairs before the attack, city officials said, and were due to be replaced with a new bollard design.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
New Orleans police chief challenged by Sky’s US correspondent James Matthews
While the works were taking place, they had been replaced with white gate barriers which were managed by the New Orleans Police Department, according to the City Of New Orleans.
Among the victims named so far are an 18-year-old aspiring nurse, a single mother with a four-year-old son, and a graduate of Princeton University.
Victims, clockwise from top left: Reggie Hunter, Martin ‘Tiger’ Bech, Nicole Perez and Matthew Tenedorio
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘I love you’ – victim’s last words to brother
What we know about Shamsud-Din Jabbar
The FBI also said CCTV showed Jabbar placing the IEDs near the scene. However, none of them went off.
The investigation is expected to look at any support or inspiration he may have drawn from IS or any of its affiliate groups.
The bureau has received more than 400 tips from members of the public and more than 1,000 agents and officers have been working on the case.
Jabbar held human resources and IT roles in the army from 2007 until 2015, and was stationed in Afghanistan for a year. He was then in the reserves until 2020.
Read more:
‘The last conversation we had – he told me he loved me’
Witnesses say carnage after attack ‘like a movie’
A friend described him as “very quiet, very reserved, smart, articulate” and said he had been raised a Christian before converting to Islam a long time ago.
Meanwhile, the Sugar Bowl college American football game went ahead on Thursday afternoon, with a moment of silence beforehand, after being postponed on Wednesday following the attack. The city will also host the Super Bowl next month.
World
Trump issues Gaza ceasefire ultimatum to Hamas as he warns ‘all hell is going to break out’ if hostages not returned
Donald Trump says the Gaza ceasefire should be cancelled if all remaining Israeli hostages are not returned by noon on Saturday – as he warned Hamas that “all hell is going to break out”.
The US president’s intervention came hours after Hamas has said it will delay the release of more hostages and accused Israel of violating their ceasefire deal.
While signing a series of new executive orders, Mr Trump said he feared many Israeli hostages scheduled for release are already dead.
Referring to his Saturday deadline for the release of hostages, Mr Trump said: “If they’re not here, all hell is going to break out.”
He acknowledged that a decision to end the ceasefire was up to Israel, adding: “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it.”
Hours earlier, Mr Trump said Palestinians would not have the right to return under his plan for US “ownership” of Gaza – contradicting officials in his administration who said they would be relocated temporarily.
Trump latest: ‘Palestinians will have no right to Gaza return’
Widespread destruction seen in Gaza City. Pic: AP
Hamas halts release of hostages
Earlier on Monday, Hamas claimed ceasefire violations had included “delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, and targeting them with shelling and gunfire”.
Spokesman Abu Obeida said Hamas remained committed if Israel kept to the terms, but that the 15 February handover was postponed “until the occupation commits to and compensates for the past weeks”.
Egyptian security sources told Reuters that mediators now fear the deal will break down.
They said Hamas believes Israel isn’t serious about the ceasefire – which began on 19 January.
The last hostage release took place at the weekend and saw three Israeli men set free. Five Thai citizens released last month were also finally reunited with their families in Bangkok.
They were among about 250 people taken during the 7 October 2023 attack, when 1,200 people were murdered.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Tears as Thai hostages return home
Five swaps have taken place so far, with 21 hostages and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners released.
Saturday’s exchange was due to involve three more Israelis and hundreds of Palestinians.
Defence minister Israel Katz said any delay in releasing hostages would be “a complete violation” and he had instructed troops to be on highest alert.
The Hostages and Missing Family Forum called on mediating countries to restore the deal, saying “time is of the essence” and citing “the shocking conditions of the hostages released last Saturday”.
Read more:
Trump plan so outrageous it might be part of something bigger
Israeli police confiscate books in raid on Palestinian bookshops
As part of the ceasefire deal, Israeli forces pulled back from a key passage through Gaza on Sunday.
The four-mile-long Netzarim corridor separates northern Gaza from the south, and hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have now crossed back over.
However, Israel pushed back the withdrawal by a few days in protest at the chaotic release of hostages Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses.
This may be what Hamas is referencing what it talks of “delaying the return of the displaced”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Palestinians return to destroyed Netzarim
There have also been examples of Israeli troops shooting at or near Palestinians approaching Israeli forces after being warned to stay back.
So far, little progress has been made on an extension to the first six-week phase of the ceasefire.
A delegation from Israel has arrived in Qatar for further talks amid concern the deal might collapse before all remaining hostages are freed.
Israel has previously said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas’s military and political capabilities are eliminated.
Hamas has countered that it will not hand over the final hostages until Israel removes all its troops from Gaza.
Donald Trump has said Palestinians would have no right to return to Gaza under his proposal to relocate its population and rebuild the Strip.
The president last week debuted his suggestion to “own” Gaza and shut out Hamas while it’s redeveloped, but has now contradicted officials who had said any relocation would be temporary.
Asked by Fox News if Palestinians could return, he replied: “No, they wouldn’t, because they’re going to have much better housing. In other words, I’m talking about building a permanent place for them.”
Trump latest: President signs more executive orders
Speaking on Monday at the White House, Mr Trump also suggested the current ceasefire in Gaza should end on Saturday if Hamas does not release hostages as planned.
He then went further, saying all the remaining hostages should be released by midday on Saturday, or the ceasefire should be cancelled – and that “all hell is going to break out” if the hostages are not freed then.
But the US president added: “I’m speaking for myself. Israel can override it.”
Hamas said earlier it would delay the release of hostages – accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘I would own this’ – Trump on Gaza
Mr Trump told Fox News his future vision for Gaza was to build multiple “safe communities, a little bit away from where they are, where all of this danger is”, adding the area is currently “not habitable”.
He said he believed he could cut a deal with Jordan or Egypt to take people in.
However, Arab allies – including Egypt and Saudi Arabia – have dismissed the idea of relocating Gaza’s two-million-plus population.
Western countries have also rejected the proposal; an independent state for Palestinians remains the favoured way forward but is a no-go for the Israeli government.
When asked in the media, Palestinians have also rubbished the idea.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has supported Mr Trump’s controversial proposal.
Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office. Pic: Reuters
Much of Gaza lies in ruins due to Israel‘s attempt to wipe out Hamas after its 2023 terror attack that killed around 1,200 people in Israel.
About 250 were also kidnapped, but those still alive have started to be released in recent weeks after a hard-won truce took effect last month.
Since the ceasefire began on 19 January, five swaps have taken place – with 16 Israeli and five Thai hostages released.
In total, Israel has said it will release up to 1,904 Palestinian prisoners in return for 33 Israeli hostages during the deal’s first phase.
Read more:
Trump plan so outrageous it might be part of something bigger
Israeli police confiscate books in raid on Palestinian bookshops
So far, little progress has been made on an extension to the first six-week phase of the ceasefire.
A delegation from Israel has arrived in Qatar for further talks amid concern the deal might collapse before all remaining hostages are freed.
Hamas has said it will delay the release of more hostages after accusing Israel of violating their ceasefire deal.
It said Saturday’s planned handover would not go ahead, presenting the Gaza truce with its first major crisis.
A spokesman claimed violations had included “delaying the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip, and targeting them with shelling and gunfire”.
Trump latest: President says Palestinians will have no right to Gaza return
Abu Obeida said Hamas remained committed if Israel kept to the terms, but that the 15 February handover was postponed “until the occupation commits to and compensates for the past weeks retroactively”.
The last release of hostages was at the weekend, when three Israeli men and five Thai men were freed.
They were among about 250 people originally taken during the October 2023 terror attack that killed around 1,200 people.
The hostage deal began last month and more than 730 Palestinian prisoners have been released in exchange. There’s also been a crucial truce in the Gaza War.
Five swaps have taken place so far, with 21 hostages set free by Hamas after 16 months in captivity.
Saturday’s swap was due to see three more Israelis and hundreds of Palestinians released.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will bring forward an assessment with his security cabinet to today, according to an Israeli official.
Defence minister Israel Katz said any delay would be “a complete violation” and he had instructed troops to be on highest alert.
The Hostages and Missing Family Forum called on mediating countries to restore the deal, saying “time is of the essence” and citing “the shocking conditions of the hostages released last Saturday”.
The potential delay comes as President Trump reiterated his controversial proposal for the US to take over and rebuild Gaza, adding that Palestinians forced out would have no right to return.
He said he was committed to “buying and owning” the enclave.
Arab countries would agree to take in Palestinians after speaking with him, Mr Trump said, adding that its residents would leave if they had a choice.
“They don’t want to return to Gaza. If we could give them a home in a safer area – the only reason they’re talking about returning to Gaza is they don’t have an alternative,” he said.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘I would own this’ – Trump on Gaza
On Sunday, Israeli forces also pulled back from a key passage through Gaza as part of the ceasefire deal.
The four-mile-long Netzarim corridor separates northern Gaza from the south, and hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have now crossed back over.
However, Israel pushed back its withdrawal a few days in protest at the chaotic release of hostages Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses.
This may be what Hamas is referencing what it talks of “delaying the return of the displaced”.
There have also been examples of Israeli troops shooting at or near Palestinians approaching Israeli forces after being warned to stay back.
The hard-won ceasefire deal took effect on 19 January and is in its first 42-day phase – but so far little progress has been made on an extension.
A delegation from Israel has arrived in Qatar for further talks amid concern it might collapse before all remaining hostages are freed.
Israel has previously said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas’s military and political capabilities are eliminated.
Hamas has countered that it will not hand over the final hostages until Israel removes all its troops from Gaza.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports10 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway